Blog, May 7^th

I have been able to get the posts out because we are in Khashuri (which is a city) and  is the PC hub for the region. Here are the names of other villages in our hub area: Vaka; Tezeri; Gomi; Khtsisi and of course, my Osiauri. There are many more villages, but I didn’t write the names down. Khashuri is the center and the villages are either east or west of Khashuri.

So, I am now the oldest volunteer in the group. The woman who was older than me fell and broke her hand. She has to be medically separated and returned to the states for surgery…she is just heartbroken. We are all sad, and especially me as now the majority of volunteers are between 20-30. Some are a little older, but no one near my age. There are Other older volunteers  in-country and the PC is going to connect me with them by phone or email….so, I can have someone to share the older volunteer experience.

The schedule here is brutal. On the first day, Monday, at 3pm (we start between 8-9am) I asked my friend Karen if it was still Monday? Honestly, each day feels way more than 24 hours. I guess this is keeping with slowing time down. We have language lessions for 3-1/2 hours each day – with a couple of 15 minute break. It is painful, really painful. We all do a lot of laughing but I am slow and falling behind. There is a conversation about getting me a tutor that the PC will pay for. I just don’t know when I would have time to work with a tutor. After lunch, which is held at one of  the volunteers house (rotating), we have classes in culture and custom; Georgian context and working with our counterparts (which will be the person we will co-teach English with when we are placed in July as official volunteers). Right now we are trainees. We are interviewed by multiple layers of staff to insure that we are doing ok. The medical folks will be back on Thursday to give us more shots. I could go on….needless to say, on some level I feel like I am back in graduate school.

The town is very interesting. At times you see really expensive cars drive by (you must be mindful of them, as they won’t be careful of you)…seriously. Tractors and other types of farm equipment ride by.   I found it very odd that people in the town would have satellite dishes, expensive cars and other expensive items and yet still have outhouses and outdoor showers. Our culture coach said that is because where they live would not support the infrastructure needed to have an indoor toilet/bathroom. Ah, that made a lot of sense. All the houses are gated as people park their car inside the compound. No one parks on the road. Everything is so old. Many buildings, including the school, are 100% concrete – they say it dates back to the Russian Occupation. Everything needs paint; however, inside the house that I live in – it is spotless.

As I walk to school I walk with dogs, chickens and cows. I’ve named the cow that stands near the field that the PC picks us up at when we go to Khashuri. His name is “Bernard” – are cows girls? This is from the gal (me) that never wanted to go anywhere unless they changed the sheets everyday….

The electricity goes off and during the day no one seems to notice or say anything. My host grandmother kisses me often. I am not talking about a peck. I am talking about hugging and at last count, I think there were 4 kisses. Hugs and kissing on the cheek is so routine.  The village looks at us Americans as we do stand out as we have our “stuff”….backpacks, computers, sunglasses, hats, fannypacks…none of which the villagers use. Everything here is used. There are no trash cans or dumpsters.  Litter is also not present…occasionally you would see a plastic bottle, but really – except for the dirt, the village is really clean J

Everybody is Georgia has a phone, including children. No matter what age the phone is in their hands. This is a problem is school, I’m told. Grade school children must give their phone to their teacher when they come into the classroom. Also, news travels so fast in the village….you need to be careful what you say because one way or the other the news will get around…

I figured out how to use the camera, so I am talking pictures.  I also, with lots of help, figured out the phone the PC gave me. I ended up blocking the head guy, his name is Tango….have no idea how I did it, but Tango was saying that when you block the head guy it is a “delta award” – that is a one way ticket home….funny.

Everyone - Please write to my hotmail account and let me know what is happening in your world. I need to hear what is happening….and I will continue to share my adventures in Georgia.

Best, Catherine, G14

Note:  The contents of this blog are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.